You know that a court has discretion to award attorney fees under ERISA if a party shows “some degree of success on the merits.”

But how do you define “success”? A new third circuit case reminds one of that old Milton Berle line: “If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.”

Here’s the case of Templin et al v. Independence Blue Cross et al., __ F.3d __ (3rd Cir. May 8, 2015)(Even voluntary settlements, where no judgment was entered, can result in an award of attorney fees under the “catalyst” theory.)

FACTS: Plaintiffs sought payment for blood-clotting products under an ERISA plan. Defendants moved to dismiss for failure to exhaust administrative remedies. The Court denied the motion and Defendants eventually paid the claims, and settled the claims. Plaintiffs then sought $349,385 in attorney fees.

DISTRICT COURT HELD: Attorney fees denied because the court had never made a substantive determination on whether Plaintiffs were entitled to the recovery, and the parties settled the claim “without a judgment from the Court.”

THIRD CIRCUIT HELD: Reversed and attorney fees awarded.

  1. “[T]he ERISA statute does not limit fee awards to the prevailing party.” Op. at 7.
  2. “[T]he Supreme Court has specifically acknowledged that attorney fees are available even ‘without a formal court order.’” Op. at 8.
  3. At least four other circuits have adopted the “catalyst” theory to statutes that lack prevailing-party requirements. Op. at 8.
  4. “[U]nder the catalyst theory, a party is eligible for attorney’s fees where his or her litigation efforts resulted in a voluntary, non-trivial, and more than procedural victory….” Op. at 10.
  5. Plaintiffs sued for interest on unpaid amounts. The Court held plaintiffs were entitled to recovery of attorney’s fees because the parties settled for “100% of the interest sought.” [W]e find that the pressure of the lawsuit caused [Defendants] to change their position….” Op. at 11.
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Photo of Mike Reilly Mike Reilly

Mike Reilly is a nationally recognized labor, employment and employee benefits attorney, named one of the “Top 100 Most Powerful Employment Attorneys in the Nation” for the past five consecutive years by Human Resource Executive®. He has decades of experience providing strategic employment…

Mike Reilly is a nationally recognized labor, employment and employee benefits attorney, named one of the “Top 100 Most Powerful Employment Attorneys in the Nation” for the past five consecutive years by Human Resource Executive®. He has decades of experience providing strategic employment advice, and has represented clients in more than 75 jury trials, arbitrations, bench trials and claims before the EEOC and Washington State Human Rights Commission.

Small and large employers retain Mike for his strategic advice and decades of experience in employment issues and litigation, business decisions and litigation avoidance. Mike provides advice in claims involving discrimination, retaliation, wrongful discharge, disability accommodation, ERISA and non-ERISA employee benefit claims, and wage/hour claims. He served as lead counsel in an employee raiding/trade secret case as reported in the Wall Street Journal, and defends employers in class action claims.

Mike’s remarks on employment issues have been quoted in NewsweekCorporate Legal TimesSeattle TimesEmployee Relations Law JournalPuget Sound Business JournalCFO.com, and other professional journals and management publications. Chambers USA’s Guide to America’s Leading Lawyers for Businessrates Mike in the top ranking (band one) for his work in labor and employment law, and has described him as “one of Seattle’s top-rate attorneys” who is “truly phenomenal [with] superb legal instincts” and “an amazingly assertive litigator.” His clients include Nordstrom, Seattle Seahawks, Home Depot, KeyBank, Starbucks, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Red Robin and Seattle Chamber of Commerce, among others.